Manitoba Highways

[Biff]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

I thought it said start construction late 2020 finishing November 2023. Seems long to me for a bridge. Whatever.

Construction would likely start Nov/Dec 2020 - so end of year. Build through 2021 and 2022 - two years, not very long really. 2023 will be finishing work and landscaping.

Originally Posted by bomberjet

I'm also not sure what they referred to as cost effective. That would lead me to believe they're re-using the existing piers. If they're building new piers, what does that mean?

They will build two new bridges, one on either side of the existing structure. It will be the same type of construction as was done at Hwy 1 and the Floodway by Deacons corner.

[esquire]

Now that the most urgent needs around that stretch of 59 have been addressed or are in the process of being addressed (101/59, Floodway bridge), it would be nice to see planning start for the next phase of improvements... i.e., 6 lanes from 101 to Birds Hill Park, interchanges at Birds Hill and Garven Road, and eliminating at-grade access except for the one by the 59er.

[bomberjet]

Originally Posted by esquire

Now that the most urgent needs around that stretch of 59 have been addressed or are in the process of being addressed (101/59, Floodway bridge), it would be nice to see planning start for the next phase of improvements... i.e., 6 lanes from 101 to Birds Hill Park, interchanges at Birds Hill and Garven Road, and eliminating at-grade access except for the one by the 59er.

They should've built the birds hill rd interchange with the completed project.. seems silly. There's at least a plan for one there. I've seen nothing for garven, but would propose it be a trumpet style interchange like the Birds Hill Park one.

[wardlow]

Originally Posted by esquire

Now that the most urgent needs around that stretch of 59 have been addressed or are in the process of being addressed (101/59, Floodway bridge), it would be nice to see planning start for the next phase of improvements... i.e., 6 lanes from 101 to Birds Hill Park, interchanges at Birds Hill and Garven Road, and eliminating at-grade access except for the one by the 59er.

I don't see the need for additional traffic lanes on this part of Highway 59? Closing at-grade access as you mentioned would take care of traffic issues (and make the highway a billion times safer). I don't think we have six-lane highways anywhere in Manitoba -- why here?

[1ajs]

Originally Posted by esquire

Now that the most urgent needs around that stretch of 59 have been addressed or are in the process of being addressed (101/59, Floodway bridge), it would be nice to see planning start for the next phase of improvements... i.e., 6 lanes from 101 to Birds Hill Park, interchanges at Birds Hill and Garven Road, and eliminating at-grade access except for the one by the 59er.

twinning 59 further south of winnipeg i would say befor making it 6 lanes north of winnipeg spent several yrs dirivng for work that way theres allot of traffic

though personaly id like to see them repave the 391 as the paved sections are at end of life and becoming dangerious

[CoryB]

Originally Posted by esquire

eliminating at-grade access except for the one by the 59er.

At grade access from the highway to the 59er/trailer park should be removed. Build an access road to/from the Bird's Hill park loop/overpass access. It is almost non-existent that traffic volumes would block that crossing. For the few times it is an issue put in temporary stop signs for all four directions to allow cross traffic at the site.

--

In terms of if 59 needs six lanes the main issue would come down to the volume of Oak Bank/Springfield traffic during the Sunday evening lake rush back to Winnipeg. In terms of pure infrastructure spend costs the benefit is far greater on spending the cash for the six lane 59 upgrade on the long proposed Oak Bank corridor. The Oak Bank corridor route would pickup most of the origin/destination traffic south of 213 (Graven Rd) and take over a substantial amount of the HWY 15 traffic as it would effectively reroute that traffic to the north. Long term it would also connect to CPT/CCW/et all and serve as a quick connector route for north Winnipeg similar to what Bishop is supposed to be for south Winnipeg.

[bomberjet]

Thanks for the info's. I'm not really knocking the PC's. Just timing is all.

I would sure hope they get 6 lanes in there. As the rest of the 59/101 project allows for 6 lanes. Otherwise that'd just be silly to be stuck for the next 75 years.

[esquire]

The stretch of 59 from Birds Hill to 101 is one of the busiest highway segments in the province.

[bomberjet]

I would be fine having 59 be 6 lanes from 101 to Garven. There's loads of gravel trucks using that highway all day everyday during construction season. Having that additional lane for merging and such, while allowing the other 2 lanes to flow, is fine with me.

[bomberjet]

Is there a map of available showing traffic volumes in Winnipeg? We have the highway volume map, which notes 101 and 59 as being highly used.

[esquire]

Here's the Manitoba map:
http://umtig.eng.umanitoba.ca/Flow%20Map.htm

And the Winnipeg version:
https://www.winnipeg.ca/publicworks/...ficFlowMap.stm

There is a decent case to be made for making some stretches of the Perimeter (between Wilkes and CCW, between 59 and 7, and between Kenaston and St. Mary's) 6 lanes, along with 59 from 101 to either Birds Hill or Garven Road.

If you look at the Winnipeg map, it's clear that Lagimodiere could use some sort of improvement... it has Portage Ave-like traffic flows but without the extra lanes.

FWIW the thought of having a stretch of 6 lane highway is not really that unthinkable, we are a city of nearly a million people after all, and the highways tend to get busy.

[bomberjet]

Thanks for the links. Note the traffic numbers are not using like units between the two maps. City of Winnipeg is average weekday daily traffic. Provincial is annual average daily traffic.

[bomberjet]

There were definitely plans for a large interchange at Regent dating back to the 60's, if not earlier. Nairn and Thomas running as one way couplet. Same with Regent and Pandora. Then the City started selling off land in their typical fashion and here we are today. Bad planning 101.

[Riverman]

Isn't 59 still a two lane road through Brokenhead? If so 6 lanes to relieve lake traffic is kind of senseless.

[wardlow]

Originally Posted by Riverman

Isn't 59 still a two lane road through Brokenhead?

Yep, it's still just two lanes from Brokenhead F.N. on up to where it terminates at Victoria Beach, with one northbound stretch around Balsam Bay with an extra lane to allow for passing.

[bomberjet]

Just 6 lanes to Garven. Basically I'd make it so the merge lanes at Garven change the roadway from 4 to 6 lanes. I think this is how it's already set-up on lag between 101 and birds hill road. Turning lanes are the 5th and 6th lanes. At least that's what it showed in the drawing, but I don't know if they actually built 6 lanes through there. Somebody could tell us.

Beyond that, the Province is still looking into twinning 59 to the Grand Beach turn-off, which is just fine.

[esquire]

I seem to recall that a few years ago, either in a news article, a press release or something like that there was some mention about an agreement having been reached with Brokenhead and that twinning of 59 would continue. Must have been at least 5 years ago by my recollection.

It does seem that twinning 59 to Grand Beach is overdue...

[bomberjet]

I googled hwy 59 deaths. And everything that came up, which was 6 articles at the top, and they're all on the single lane roadway in the last few years. Numerous deaths and injuries. Head on collisions.

[Riverman]

Brokenhead resisted twinning in the past, but I suspect now that they have their capitalist hats on, they would love to have it twinned. I understand their casino is quite the success.

[drew]

^ I think the opposite would be true. Keeping it two lane through the community forces people to slow down - and likely increases the chances they will stop, especially at the gas bar/restaurant.

It also keeps the highway going thru town. If it gets twinned, it would likely bypass the area all together.